Casting Votes In Pajamas: These Voters Are Getting A 'Vote From Home' Facility In Lok Sabha Elections 2024
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections in India is going to have a 'vote from home' feature. This is the first time that the feature is being provided in the Lok Sabha elections. The 'vote from home' feature is available only to those above the age of 85 and persons with disability (PwD).?
How will the 'vote from home' feature work??
Under the 'vote from home' feature, voters will have the convenience of casting their ballot for their preferred candidate via postal ballot from the comfort of their residences, ensuring the secrecy of their choice.?
To avail the option of voting from home, individuals must apply to the returning officer of their respective constituency using Form 12-D. This application needs to be submitted within five days of the election notification.?
Booth-level officers will then visit the homes of "absentee voters" to deliver Form 12-D. If these voters opt for the postal ballot, the booth-level officer will collect the completed Form 12-D and submit it to the returning officer.?
Approximately 1.8 crore senior citizens aged 80 and above are eligible to benefit from this initiative, with 98 lakh falling between the ages of 80 and 85, and 82 lakh being over 85 years old.?
Polling officials will visit these 82 lakh senior citizens, as well as the 88.4 lakh registered voters with disabilities (PwD), at their residences to facilitate their participation in the electoral process.?
This service was initially introduced during the 2020 Bihar assembly elections.?
80-plus voters actually venture out of homes to vote, says official?
An official from the Election Commission mentioned that discussions with the chief electoral officers of the most recent 11 states where elections were held revealed that almost all senior citizens over 80 years old, about 97-98%, preferred to cast their votes in person rather than using postal ballots.?
In line with Rule 27A of the Conduct of Election Rules, which was updated in 2020, the option for postal voting was extended to senior citizens over 80 years old, individuals with disabilities (defined as those with a 40% benchmark disability), election officers, and individuals infected with COVID-19.?
However, the government recently amended this rule, increasing the minimum age for senior citizens to qualify for postal voting to 85 years.?
An official quoted by TOI stated, "The 80-plus voters, who have witnessed Independence, have shown far more keenness to vote physically, setting an example for youths who are not so enthusiastic despite being able-bodied. For the former, voting is a reason to venture out of their homes. Many times, they are accompanied by one or more family members, who may not vote otherwise."
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